World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) raises awareness of how the use of the Internet and other technologies can benefit societies and economies, and can bridge the digital divide. Celebrated every year since 1969 on 17th May, this year its theme is: “Better City, Better Life with ICTs”.
As the rates of urbanisation seem likely to proceed globally at an accelerated rate, ICT will play an increasingly important role in ensuring that cities become more eco-friendly and economically viable. ICT provides innovative and efficient ways for improving the quality of urban life - smart buildings, intelligent traffic management, new efficiencies in energy consumption and waste management, and not least, exchanging information and knowledge and communicating on the move in an increasingly converged information society, are all radically reshaping the urban experience for the better. In fact, for billions of city dwellers worldwide, it is impossible to imagine daily life without technology, yet there is an irony that even in these densely populated centres, increasing numbers of inhabitants are denied access to these essential means of communication.
According to the International Communications Union (the founders of WTISD), “by providing affordable and equitable access to information and knowledge to empower everyone to achieve their aspirations, administrations can contribute towards meeting the rising expectations of an ever-growing population in the world’s cities.”
ECDL Foundation supports WTISD and encourages city governments to accelerate the application of technology to improve the quality of urban living for all citizens. "Cities can function as webs of urban villages, using technology to create and sustain social relationships which flow naturally from the virtual to the village. However, to avoid creating generations of digital recluses, we need to ensure that technology is not just accessible but inclusive. Inclusive urban societies will be determined by the levels of digital literacy. We need to invest equally in the technology and digital skills to make them inclusive."
